Small-eyed bee catfish

Akysis microps

Also known as Mini bee cat microps, Small eyed mini bee cat

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.4 in (3.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Endau drainage, Malaysia
Family: Akysidae

Overview

The small-eyed bee catfish is a tiny, gentle stream catfish that relies on its barbels far more than its eyes, hunting by touch after dark and burying in sand by day. It is community safe and content in a small group of its own kind with other little, peaceful fish, though it feeds slowly and should not compete with fast, bold tankmates. Give it fine sand to sink into. Feed small sinking and frozen foods at night, such as microworm, baby brine shrimp, and frozen bloodworm. A tank of around 40 liters with sand, gentle current, and clean water suits it, and its fin spines can sting, so net it with care.

In the wild

Akysis microps was found in the Endau river drainage of southeastern Peninsular Malaysia, in a large, sandy stream with tea-colored water, moderate current, and stands of Cryptocoryne plants. Recreate that with a sandy bottom, some crypts, wood, and a soft, slightly stained look, with steady but not fierce flow. Keep it on the cooler side of tropical, about 22 to 26 C, at roughly pH 6.0 to 7.5.

Good to know

Akysis microps is a member of the stream catfish family Akysidae and one of the smaller bee catfishes, reaching only about 3.5 centimeters. Its species name means small eye, describing the reduced eyes of a fish that lives buried and hunts by feel rather than sight. Like the rest of the genus it is a nocturnal egg layer without parental care, and its breeding has not been recorded in aquaria.

Did you know

For a fish that spends its life half-buried in dim, tea-stained water, sharp eyes are little use. Its name, small eye, records exactly that: sight has faded into the background while its barbels do the real work.

Tank mates

Small-eyed bee catfish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.